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–+ servings
greek meatball bowls.

Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls

Mallory
These Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls are a great recipe if you're looking for something nutritionally balanced and (most importantly) delicious that you can meal prep ahead of time. There are a few components, but everything comes together easily and the flavor combination of the Greek meatballs with a tomato & cucumber feta salad and dill yogurt sauce is one you'll come back to again and again.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 5 people
Calories 470 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For Greek Chicken Meatballs

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • ¼ cup red onion, chopped
  • ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ cup fresh dill, loosely packed, chopped
  • 3 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
  • 1 small lemon, zest and juice (or ½ large lemon)
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For Greek Salad Base

  • ½ English cucumber, chopped
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • ½ red bell pepper, chopped
  • ¼ a red onion, chopped (about ¼ cup)
  • ¼ cup fresh herbs, chopped (I use dill, parsley, and mint)
  • 2 tablespoon kalamata olives, chopped
  • 2 tablespoon feta cheese, crumbled

For Greek Salad Dressing

For Yogurt Dill Sauce

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt (I use nonfat)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ cup fresh dill, loosely packed, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
  • ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For Bowls

  • 1 cup white rice, dry
  • 2 cup water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200°C). Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with a cooking spray. Combine the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the meatball mixture at a time and form into balls. I use a cookie scoop and get ~20 meatballs. Bake for 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165℉ (75°C).
  • Cook the rice according to the instructions on the package. (OPTIONAL: If you want more flavor, add a bit of kosher salt, garlic powder and black pepper to the cooking water. Add fresh lemon, and fresh parsley once it's done cooking.)
  • Mix the dressing ingredients. Chop the vegetables, herbs, and olives for your salad. I prefer to chop everything into small pieces, but some people prefer larger chunks. Either is fine! Add the vegetables, herbs and olives to a large bowl with the dressing and toss. Gently mix in the feta.
  • Make the yogurt dill sauce by chopping the dill and combining all the ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar. If you prefer a creamier texture, you can blend it. 
  • Assemble and top with more fresh parsley or feta (optional).
  • Hint: The trick to making this recipe is timing! Let your oven pre-heat and start boiling the water for your rice while you combine the meatball ingredients and then make the tomato cucumber salad and yogurt sauce while the meatballs and rice cook.

Video

Notes

*nutrition information based on suggested serving: ½  cup greek salad, 4 meatballs, ¼ cup yogurt sauce, ~⅔ c rice.
Expert Tips
  • Finely chop the fresh herbs and onion for the meatballs so they evenly disperse.
  • Don't overmix the meatballs because it will cause them to get tough. Once the ingredients are well combined, you're good to go! 
  • Use a cookie scoop to make evenly-sized meatballs to ensure they cook equally. You can also use an ice cream scoop or a large spoon.
  • Buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself for the best flavor. 
  • If possible, use freshly squeezed lemon instead of lemon juice from the bottle.
Storage
  • I suggest storing the individual components of this recipe separately for 3-4 days in airtight containers in the fridge. 
Dietitian Tip
Chicken is a high-quality lean protein that contains all 9 essential amino acids which are the building blocks of protein. It also contains important nutrients like B vitamins that support brain health, zinc, iron, and phosphorus. I like to use ground chicken for meatballs when it makes sense with the other flavors in the dish like the lemon and feta here. It's more lean than traditional meats used to make Greek meatballs like ground beef or lamb.
For more nutrition information and tips, visit mallorythedietitian.com. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 😊 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl (½  cup greek salad, 4 meatballs, ¼ cup yogurt sauce, ~⅔ c rice.Calories: 470kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 31gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 790mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4g
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